December 2, 2012

ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISPARITY IN HEALTHCARE IN AMERICA
Disparity in US Health Care is multifactorial, they reflect the differences in demographics, social-economic as well as environmental factors. The Journal of the American Medical Association identifies race as a significant determinant in the level of quality of care, with ethnic minority groups receiving less intensive and lower quality care. Ethnic minorities receive less preventative care, are seen less by specialists, and have fewer expensive and technical procedures than non-ethnic minorities. Studies have shown that this disparity affects the biological vulnerability to disease, utilization of health system in US and health care interventions. Understanding and intervening in the health disparity in the US is imperative because the US population is changing. According to the American Health Association (AHA), by 2050 Minority groups will compose almost half of the U.S. population by 2050. The biggest increase will occur within the Hispanic population. In December 2007, the American Hospital Association (AHA) created the Special Advisor Group on Improving Hospital Care for Minorities as part of effort to ensure equitable treatment of all patients. This article will discuss the issues related to disparity and how the American Hospital Association is taken several steps in helping aid in eliminating the racial disparity in health care.

Health disparities in the quality of care exist and are based on language and the ethnicity/race which according to research includes: Problems with patient-provider communication and health Literacy. * Problems with patient-provider communication - The U.S. Census Bureau found over 300 different languages spoken in the U.S. and nearly 47 million people—18 percent of the U.S. population—speaks a language other than English at home. The